Walsall v Macclesfield preview
Tuesday 28 August 2018 11:47, UK
Walsall will be without Zeli Ismail for the Carabao Cup visit of Macclesfield on Tuesday night.
The winger is banned after he was sent off for two bookable offences in the game at Rochdale on Saturday. Midfielder Joe Edwards (knee) and defender Kory Roberts (broken leg) are long-term absentees.
Walsall's 2-1 win at the weekend was their fifth in six matches and extended their unbeaten start to the season.
Macclesfield are still hunting their first league win of the campaign since promotion from the National League. Midfielder Elliott Durrell continues to battle a groin injury ahead of the trip to the Banks's Stadium.
Ryan Lloyd (Achilles) remains another long-term injury victim for the Silkmen. Ben Stephens and Peter Vincenti could be handed their debuts by boss Mark Yates.
Opta stats
Walsall and Macclesfield last faced in the FA Cup first round in 2016-17, with then non-league Macclesfield winning 1-0.
Macclesfield have won their last two visits to the Bescot Stadium by a 1-0 scoreline, with both wins coming in FA Cup matches.
This is the first ever League Cup meeting between Walsall and Macclesfield.
Walsall have reached the League Cup third round in just one of their previous 15 seasons, doing so in 2015-16.
Macclesfield have never reached the third round of the League Cup and have lost at the second round stage on six previous occasions.
